Everything & Anything New York City

M4RKM

han6149 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm new here and looking for some advice on travelling to New York City. Dates are provisionally 3rd-10th Jan 13. Although, I can do anything as late as returning on the 12th. Looking to go for a week. The cheapest flights I can find at the moment are £467 is it worth holding out till not long before and if so, how long before? Also, accommodation recommendations would be great. The trip will be for my 21st (going with my boyfriend) so want something memorable as always wanted to go to NYC but also something which isn't too expensive. I'd say overall budget for flights and accommodation is around £850-900pp. Another thing, is it cheaper to get a bundle on expedia or last minute than it is to book separately?

Thanks,
Hannah

Hi, Firstly, Hotels are priced per room, and flights are priced per person. Therefore saying £900 per person makes it awkward to work out. I'll do the maths though, and you can understand why.

£467 is a bit pricey for flights, but as you've not told us what airport you're looking at, I can't search around. If that price was under £450 then it would be worth booking.

Ok. Lets assume £467 for a flight, that leaves £886 or $1342 for a hotel room, less tax, and per night, that's working out at $166 per night. Even in the depths of winter, and how hotel prices plummet, that's a tight tight budget for a decent hotel in Manhattan. $200 is the bear minimum before tax I'd think about, to get a decent hotel, near decent nightlife.

Again, I'm making an assumption, as you've not said where you want to be near, so as a 21st birthday is happening, I'd assume you'll be heading out to have a few celebratory meals and drinks. I've checked out the Hotel Le Jolie in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (1 stop away from Manhattan and the majority of tourist attractions), which Williamsburg is the hipster central, all the cool bars, bands, and restaurants are all there. Williamsburg is awesome. This hotel is $135 per night for a cancellable rate, or $103 for a pre paid non cancellable rate. prices before taxes.

The Hotel on Rivington, (Lower East Side), is another good hotel I've stayed at, though that is $225 per night before tax.

Hotels in Manahttan, some offers are sneaking through, and the newly renamed King & Grove New York is available on quikbook.com as a cancellable rate for $169 per night before tax for a superior room, or $149 for a standard room per night. This used to be the Hotel Lola, (only for the past few months), and before that used to be the Hotel Thirty Thirty. This isn't in the greatest area for nightlife, but you have a subway station nearby, so you can easily get around.

There are other options, but I think that gives you enough choice to start with.

M

han6149

M4RKM wrote: »

Hi, Firstly, Hotels are priced per room, and flights are priced per person. Therefore saying £900 per person makes it awkward to work out. I'll do the maths though, and you can understand why.

£467 is a bit pricey for flights, but as you've not told us what airport you're looking at, I can't search around. If that price was under £450 then it would be worth booking.

Ok. Lets assume £467 for a flight, that leaves £886 or $1342 for a hotel room, less tax, and per night, that's working out at $166 per night. Even in the depths of winter, and how hotel prices plummet, that's a tight tight budget for a decent hotel in Manhattan. $200 is the bear minimum before tax I'd think about, to get a decent hotel, near decent nightlife.

Again, I'm making an assumption, as you've not said where you want to be near, so as a 21st birthday is happening, I'd assume you'll be heading out to have a few celebratory meals and drinks. I've checked out the Hotel Le Jolie in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (1 stop away from Manhattan and the majority of tourist attractions), which Williamsburg is the hipster central, all the cool bars, bands, and restaurants are all there. Williamsburg is awesome. This hotel is $135 per night for a cancellable rate, or $103 for a pre paid non cancellable rate. prices before taxes.

The Hotel on Rivington, (Lower East Side), is another good hotel I've stayed at, though that is $225 per night before tax.

Hotels in Manahttan, some offers are sneaking through, and the newly renamed King & Grove New York is available on quikbook.com as a cancellable rate for $169 per night before tax for a superior room, or $149 for a standard room per night. This used to be the Hotel Lola, (only for the past few months), and before that used to be the Hotel Thirty Thirty. This isn't in the greatest area for nightlife, but you have a subway station nearby, so you can easily get around.

There are other options, but I think that gives you enough choice to start with.

M

Thanks for this. More details: Looking at flying from Manchester. Hoping to stay near central park and I know this will be more expensive. Found the Distrikt Hotel New York City - An Ascend Collection for $179 a night. Also, curious about apartments I heard that they were illegal? I've found some really nice ones online at "feelnyc"

mahoney

Thinking of taking advantage of the current BA sale......Has anyone been to NY at the very start of September and what was the weather like? THANKS!!!!!

M4RKM

han6149 wrote: »

Thanks for this. More details: Looking at flying from Manchester. Hoping to stay near central park and I know this will be more expensive. Found the Distrikt Hotel New York City - An Ascend Collection for $179 a night. Also, curious about apartments I heard that they were illegal? I've found some really nice ones online at "feelnyc"

Manchester is more expensive to fly from than Heathrow. If that is the price DIRECT from Manchester - NYC then you should be ok. Can I ask why you want to be close to Central Park, for a young person like yourself, there isn't much nightlife around there, it is corporate building and hotel and shops, and the bars that are there, are overpriced and tourist centric.

The Distrikt Hotel is often recommended over on TA Forums, and I'm sure there are plenty of good reviews for you to read.

Apartment rentals are illegal for under 30 days in NYC, and again, there is a lengthy thread over on TA forums about feelnyc. Here is just one snippet which hopefully is enough to put you off.

The experience in the apartment was horrible, the photos don't match with the FeelNYC ( the company who reserved the apartment),Smartapartments and Toshi Apartments Web photos.

Stay away from apartments (there are reasons they are illegal), and look for a legal hotel. Describe what kind of area you want, and I'm more than happy to help with finding a decent place.

mahoney wrote: »

Thinking of taking advantage of the current BA sale......Has anyone been to NY at the very start of September and what was the weather like? THANKS!!!!!

Yes, I've been at the start of September, the end of August, the middle of September. It's an expensive time, the UN get back into session, and hotels do shoot up in price, than the previous week in August.

Weather wise, a few days of each trip have been unbearably hot and humid, but then the weather settled down, and it really is nice, mid to high 20's, slight breeze, blue skies, and the occasional thunderstorm mid afternoon to clear the air!

Hope that helps.

M

han6149

M4RKM wrote: »

Manchester is more expensive to fly from than Heathrow. If that is the price DIRECT from Manchester - NYC then you should be ok. Can I ask why you want to be close to Central Park, for a young person like yourself, there isn't much nightlife around there, it is corporate building and hotel and shops, and the bars that are there, are overpriced and tourist centric.

I was looking around at different websites and the cheapest I could find was from Manchester not from Heathrow but either airport is fine as I live 1 hour from Manc and my boyfriend lives 1 hour from heathrow. I don't know what it is, I've just wanted to go to New York for ages and always wanted to stay around central park. Not really interested in the nightlife as can do that at home more interested in the NYC tourist. Would love to go see Chicago and maybe catch a knicks game.

I'm looking for an area that is easily accessible to most places of interest. The Upper East side is desirable but understandably expensive I don't know much about the midtown and lower areas of manhattan. Ideally, want to stay within manhattan and not go to brooklyn or queens.

lala77

Hi everyone. I've read a lot of this forum over the years as have been to NY twice in the last few years but i haven't posted. However I would really like to benefit from some of your expertise now!

We're going to NY in Sept to stay in an apartment belonging to someone we know. They're on holiday from Friday 14th - Sat 22nd and we can have their place while they're away. We were thinking of going from Sat-Sat. However I was a little shocked at the cost of flights as they seem to be a lot more than I paid previously. We live in Bristol and before flew direct from Bristol with Continental paying about £350 but that route is withdrawn. Flights from Heathrow are £500+, plus cost and hassle of getting to Heathrow. There is an option of going with Aer Lingus from Bristol changing in Dublin but again is over £500.

Any ideas? Is this the amount that we will likely have to pay or could it be better to wait and book later on?

We're staying in Brooklyn so want to fly into JFK if possible.

Any ideas for reducing the cost please let me know. We were hoping this would be a cheap holiday!

gregg1

han6149 wrote: »

I was looking around at different websites and the cheapest I could find was from Manchester not from Heathrow but either airport is fine as I live 1 hour from Manc and my boyfriend lives 1 hour from heathrow. I don't know what it is, I've just wanted to go to New York for ages and always wanted to stay around central park. Not really interested in the nightlife as can do that at home more interested in the NYC tourist. Would love to go see Chicago and maybe catch a knicks game.

I'm looking for an area that is easily accessible to most places of interest. The Upper East side is desirable but understandably expensive I don't know much about the midtown and lower areas of manhattan. Ideally, want to stay within manhattan and not go to brooklyn or queens.

Like you my daughter always likes to stay near central park. She loves it. Do not be put off if that is where you fancy staying. She likes the Salisbury hotel and has always had good stays there. She is not interested in the nightlife either don't understand why people always think that is a big consideration for young people. She loves the touristy stuff so that area suits her just fine. Easily accessible to most places of interest as well.

M4RKM

han6149 wrote: »

I was looking around at different websites and the cheapest I could find was from Manchester not from Heathrow but either airport is fine as I live 1 hour from Manc and my boyfriend lives 1 hour from heathrow. I don't know what it is, I've just wanted to go to New York for ages and always wanted to stay around central park. Not really interested in the nightlife as can do that at home more interested in the NYC tourist. Would love to go see Chicago and maybe catch a knicks game.

I'm looking for an area that is easily accessible to most places of interest. The Upper East side is desirable but understandably expensive I don't know much about the midtown and lower areas of manhattan. Ideally, want to stay within manhattan and not go to brooklyn or queens.

Tourist attractions are all around New York City, and in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. The most important thing is to be near a subway station, because you just can't walk to everything. The Upper East Side has very few hotels, mainly because it is a residential area, and you have museum mile there.

Trust me, enjoying the nightlife in New York City is not the same as Manchester or London, London comes close by NYC is still unique, and is really enjoyable.

If you don't know much about midtown or lower manhattan, then grab a guide book and read up. Most of the tourist attractions first time tourists want to go to are in Midtown, or Lower Manhattan, along with Brooklyn.

lala77

I agree with Mark about nightlife. I don't want to go clubbing and get wrecked but if you don't want to enjoy any kind of nightlife what do you do? Just sit in your hotel room from 7pm onwards watching tv? I think you'll be missing out on a lot.

It's fun to sit in bars or restaurants, people watching, chatting or watching live music. You don't have to be glammed up and getting drunk. There's a huge variety of places so go and explore.

M4RKM

lala77 wrote: »

I agree with Mark about nightlife. I don't want to go clubbing and get wrecked but if you don't want to enjoy any kind of nightlife what do you do? Just sit in your hotel room from 7pm onwards watching tv? I think you'll be missing out on a lot.

It's fun to sit in bars or restaurants, people watching, chatting or watching live music. You don't have to be glammed up and getting drunk. There's a huge variety of places so go and explore.

I've not stepped into a nightclub in NYC, I've also not stepped into a nightclub in over 5 years by my reckoning. I'm a huge barfly. I try new beers, speak to new people, and make new friends, that's what I do.

There are always live bands playing, and it's a totally different atmosphere to the UK, as headliners normally start at 11pm, rather than finish at 11pm. Even though we all speak the same language, the cultural differences are vast.

There are Broadway Shows, off Broadway Shows, and off off Broadway shows, all of which are scattered around the whole of Manhattan, so see some theatre, that's still nightlife. I can't honestly believe that people will go to NYC and not want to do anything in an evening, regardless how exhausted they've made themselves after a long day of sightseeing.

Anyway, onto the hotel search for near Central Park. As the Salisbury was mentioned, I've checked that, and it is coming up at $175 per night before tax, so just slightly out of your budget that you've set.

M